Author: Abi

Health

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When everything seems to fall apart…

We don’t know what will happen but God does and He is trustworthy. He can be trusted and His timing can be trusted.

A week ago, I was returning to South Bend, Indiana to have knee surgery. The morning of my flight I received a message from Dad that Mom was once again in the ICU. I also had no idea where I might stay after arrival. God provided.

PHYSICAL PROVISIONS

  • Home with another single woman, a dear friend with a similar heart headed to an UPG from one of the churches who supports me; jacuzzi, IKEA chair, hammock spot in the basement, backyard with a swing and a garden
  • Place to stay after surgery with a bathroom right next to the bedroom and no stairs!

EMOTIONAL PROVISIONS

  • Renewal Retreat at Alongside . https://alongsidecares.net (Learning what a GIFT from GOD our emotions are) Be aware of your feelings. Get curious about them. They are gifts to reveal to you where your values line up (or don’t) with Christ’s- the man of sorrows who had such deep emotions they came out in sweaty blood.
  • Alongside also validated my need for other humans in my life. When God had a PERFECT relationship with Adam, He looked at Adam and said, “It is not good for man to be alone.” God was NOT talking about marriage, but about RELATIONSHIP. We need each other. I can choose to surround myself with healthy enough people who when I share what I’m feeling, they get curious with me instead of shaming me for having emotions. They might even be so gracious to help me explore how my FOOPOO could be coloring the situation. (Solid waste from your family of origin) We’ve ALL got foopoo, where we were wounded inadvertently or on purpose in our home growing up and it’s now our responsibility as we mature to take honest looks at how our childhood is currently affecting our reactions.
  • What we will be has not appeared. I’m in process and I can be as patient with myself as my Father is. The negative self talk is NOT Godly. God never uses Shame as a way to change us.

EDUCATIONAL PROVISIONS/ LEARNINGS

  • Our bodies are super connected to our emotions. Regular exercise in whatever form gives you automatic happy emotions.   Eating nutritious food also gives your brain what it needs to function and work at top capacity.
  • Learning who I am: I AM the creation of our Almighty God. The Father’s fingerprints are all over me- I have been specially formed and created on purpose for a purpose that ONLY I can do. And I am a human BEING, not a human DOING. Who I AM is more important than what I DO. I am not what I do, what I have or what others think of me.
  • Learning about Boundaries: I am responsible for my thoughts and feelings and actions. What I choose to think and feel and do is not the fault of others. I am not responsible for what others choose to think, feel and do. What they choose to think, feel and do is their choice and not my fault.There’s only one me. I have a responsibility to steward my heart. My gifts, passions, loves, thoughts, feelings, energy, abilities- all the things that make me unique. I must take care to be able to use ALL for His glory. Not what all the other people want me to do to serve. I must listen to the Father and His work for me. I have the freedom to rest and abide in Him; moving when He says to move, Walking by faith like those in Hebrews 11.
  • Learning what to do with needs: Having needs is NOT the same as being needy. It’s healthy to ask for what I need and it’s healthy to accept others limitations in what they can give. Also, what brings me real comfort and renewal vs. numbing.
  • Learning my ideal me: Brene Brown p. 90 “Dare to Lead’ Strong back- grounded confidence and boundaries. Soft front.  Staying vulnerable and curious. Wild ❤️. Living out the paradoxes in our lives and not the either/or BS. BeIng both fierce and kind.

SOCIAL PROVISIONS: TIME WITH FRIENDS

  • Roomates’ wedding
  • College friend’s twin girls
  • A wonderful roommate with a similar heart

ACTIVITY PROVISIONS: THINGS TO DO

  • Perspectives Course: I was able to complete the training in Raleigh, NC and am now ready to be the coordinator/MC for the class beginning here in South Bend, IN August 29 at Gospel City church. https://mygospelcity.org/classes/perspectives/
  • I’ve become a HopeWriter https://www.hopewriters.com/; using my spare time to practice writing which can someday give hope to many. Brene Brown p 93.says hope is having a Goal, Pathway and Agency. I know where I want to go. I I know I can get there because I am persistent and will keep trying in the face of setbacks and disappointment. I know I can do this (because HE has called and equipped me)
  • Recovering from Acl surgery; The date of my surgery is now July 29. I’ve got my paints ready to go as I’ll be creating art to help me heal.

One theme that I keep coming back to is what Billy Graham answered when asked near the end of his life if he would do anything differently if could go back to the very beginning. He answered that he would study more and spend more time telling Jesus how much he loved him.

AGAIN, I AM SO GRATEFUL FOR ALL OF YOUR PRAYERS, FINANCIAL AND EMOTIONAL SUPPORT. I have seen God answer again and again and again, especially as He has given me strength that can ONLY have come from HIM>

“Beloved, it is a faithful thing you do in all your efforts for these brothers, strangers as they are, who testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their journey in a manner worthy of God. For they have gone out for the sake of the name, accepting nothing from the Gentiles. Therefore we ought to support people like these, that we may be fellow workers for the truth.”

3 John 1:5-8 ESV

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Happy Easter from Peru

~ Abi ~ 1 Comment

I’m back in Peru! You helped me get here and I’m so thankful!

2 years ago, I posted on Facebook…

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I had no idea of this road that God had planned for me. It has been an incredible two years watching Him direct my steps to others who are all passionate about all tongues, tribes and nations worshiping the Risen Lamb.  And here I am, in Pucallpa, learning Spanish and Peruvian culture.  I know I might not say this enough, but I am so indebted to all your prayers, financial support and encouragement in partnering with me to see a church planted among an unreached people here in Peru. I have jumped right in and been welcomed with open arms by my missionary family here.  Last night we celebrated Easter together.

PIEaster

And today, on this glorious Easter day, I was able to celebrate with a church that meets in a home, started for those who don’t feel like they fit into a traditional church setting.  We ate a special breakfast…

EasterFood

Took a group photo

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Sang praise songs in a Karaoke style,

EasterWorship

and listened to God’s word preached.  The best part was seeing a man who was very opposed to going to church, and had even said, “I will never go to church and if I do the roof might fall in,” put his faith and trust in Christ as His only hope of salvation and resurrection life. Please pray for Wilfredo, the man in the white shirt as he is a brand new believer.

After the service we all welcomed Wilfredo to the family. And then spent a good bit of time just visiting, including playing catch in the house and holding pet birds.Easterbirds

Also, because it is EASTER, can I just brag on my Lord for a minute? When the disciples were sitting in fear and confusion, He was doing the greatest behind-the-scenes work known to mankind. We have a good good Father who is working in all the moments that seem so difficult, messed up and full of despair. No matter what your situation, the fact that Jesus conquered death, Hell and the grave gives us a totally new perspective. He is preparing a place for us that where He is there we may be also! What great news I get to give my life to share! 

My new favorite thing has been to read the Bible in Español. It has been amazing to see the Word come alive before my eyes in a new language. The Lord has been giving me great ability to soak up all the Spanish around me and jump right into the culture. One verse that has stuck out to me is what Jesus said on the cross, “Todo se ha cumplido!”

It has all been completed.  It is finished.  He has accomplished EVERYTHING for our salvation and removal of shame, guilt and fear.  We are alive in Him and know that based on the resurrection.

I hope you all have an amazing Easter and know how loved you are.

 

Bible Translation in the Jungle

~ Abi ~ 2 Comments

A New Amazing Story from Wycliffe

This week Wycliffe published a new video on their home page.  You really want to see this one! It’s a short film about one of their teams working on a translation of the New Testament in a remote location in South America, the SAME TEAM that I got to meet and spend time with over Thanksgiving.  I am blown away once again at God’s sovereignty and timing. I have no doubt that He is going to do BIG things in this region of Peru, and I am in awe that He is letting us be a part.

Wycliffe Translation House

Genesis readers published in the heart language of those we ministered to.
Genesis readers published in the heart language of those we ministered to.

These Women Rock!

The woman in the above picture standing by the door is a Peruvian lady who has a huge heart for the Bible-less people along the river and is spending her life working to right that injustice. My favorite part of the video is when she shares through tears, “I want these people to know the God that I know.” Once again, watch this video!

The woman to the right, Selmira, is the first Christian in the village and is ON-FIRE for Jesus.  I so wish you could all meet her.  She is one of the sweetest and most incredible people I’ve ever met. You’ve got to, GOT TO read her story! And if anyone wants to come back with me to Peru, I’ll introduce you to her!

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Selmira, who is spending time outside of her village to serve on the translation team so her people can have the scripture in their heart language

Wycliffe Jungle House

Two months out of the year, the team spends time living among the people who they are translating for.  Their house is great, takes three days to get there by boat from the home where most of the translation work takes place in.  It was the house our team stayed in over Thanksgiving–the house with no running water, bathrooms, stove, oven, or electricity.

Wycliffe Jungle House
The home I spent a week in over Thanksgiving

My Journey to the Jungle

~ Abi ~ 2 Comments

Abi in the jungle.jpg

So my story begins . . . I started working with refugees from tribal Burma. Women and their preschool babies. And I LOVED it! I thought I had found my life calling.

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And then I went to CROSS Con, a conference focused on unreached people groups. And I heard David Platt say that if every Christian in the world told every single person that they knew about Jesus, and all of them believed, there would still be over 2 billion people who did not know the saving love of Christ.

This rocked me deep to my core. There are over 2 billion people with no access to hearing the good news of Jesus. NO ACCESS! No church, no Bible, no Christian material in their language, no Christians who speak their language . . . nothing!

I decided there would be nothing better for me to spend my life doing than getting some of those people access to the One who has been for me the Fountain of Living Water.

There are two main groups of people with no access: Ones that have no access because of governments restricting access, and ones that have no access because of geography restricting access.

I started stumbling across books in the second category, and was completely fascinated. I’ve read or bought every book I can find about Pioneering Tribal missions. Have read over 50 and am always looking for more . . . suggestions welcome!

I decided I had to know if this was even a possibility for me. Could I live in an indigenous, rural community for the long haul? Long enough to see a healthy reproducing church in that people group and language? I decided to take a vision trip.

Hence, the seven weeks I spent in Peru over Christmas. And I found I LOVED IT! I loved getting to know the people; the children who were super curious and loved to laugh; the women with the babies in the sling on their backs, cooking over an open fire, throwing the dishwater over the short wall, swimming/bathing (fully clothed) in the river.

So I’m going back!

This week, I joined the team in Pucallpa with Pioneers. It’s a launch team. One step to getting out into the jungle is to get a team together and learn about jungle living. The launch team will help me do that.

Can you help me get there?

I need to get additional training at Radius International–a super intense ten-month program training me in language acquisition, cultural acquisition, church planting, translation, etc. It was started by Francis Chan and Brad Buser, located just over the border in Tijuana. School starts July 26, so I have until then to raise my full monthly support of $2,500/mo. 

If you want to give, you can go directly to Pioneers.org and give to my account, #112422.

Or, go to the Join My Team page, fill out the contact info, and I’ll get back with you and walk you through the giving process with Pioneers.

Have I said lately that I can’t do this alone? Thank you for all the prayers and support getting me in and out of the jungle for my vision trip. Now, can you pray and give so that I can get back? I am so so thankful for the amazing community that I have and I want you on my team!

Arrowed Adventures

~ Abi ~ 3 Comments

What’s in a name? I decided to name my blog Abi’s Arrowed Adventures because…

magnets

  1. Arrows have been a theme for me since the beginning of this new and latest adventure.  It was kind of an “accident.” I was making ceramic magnets during my spring break, asking people to pray, and I found this arrow stamp and thought it looked pretty cool, but the more I think about it I’m convinced it’s not an accident. Especially since I feel God calling me to the jungles where arrows have been a big part of the people’s lives.
  2. I love the idea of being one who is sent out by someone else and for a purpose.  I also want to be used to send out light and warmth into the dark places.
  3. I see life as an adventure.  There are good times and bad times and in between times, but if I just embrace it as an adventure, it makes everything more bearable. For example, two months ago I was traveling in the Amazon on a boat and suddenly the motor stopped.  We had already been traveling for hours up the river and were many hours from our destination. The boat stopped.  We got out.  I made a video, ending it with, “These two friends are discussing why the boat won’t work, but it’s all part of the adventure.”
  4. I’ve been asking people to give arrow prayers for me.  Handed out magnets with little arrows on them, asked people to give an arrow prayer every time they opened their fridge.  And now, here I am, going on my arrowed adventure, winged by many many prayers from super amazing friends and supporters.
  5. It relates to my new email  address, arrows2abi@gmail.com.  Just like arrow prayers, you can send arrow messages. Even one line letting me know how you are or that you’re thinking about me as I embark on the craziest adventure yet would be incredibly appreciated.  I CANNOT DO THIS ALONE so it’d be great to know that I’m not alone in this.
  6. And as one friend reminded me, it sounds like Abi’s HARROWED adventures. Which often happen when I’m galavanting around the world; narrowing missing my plane, train, boat or leaving my computer, iphone, expensive watch or passport in various and sundry locations.  Once again. I can’t do this alone.